David: Rockets missing closer for big game

In what many would call a meaningless nonconference game Friday night, the Limestone baseball team took a significant hit in the seventh inning.

Dylan Hurst stepped to the plate in the home half of the last inning with the host Rockets trailing Notre Dame 4-3.

Hurst’s at-bat ended up in a strikeout on a very questionable called third strike.

In what many would call a meaningless nonconference game Friday night, the Limestone baseball team took a significant hit in the seventh inning.

Dylan Hurst stepped to the plate in the home half of the last inning with the host Rockets trailing Notre Dame 4-3.

Hurst’s at-bat ended up in a strikeout on a very questionable called third strike.

Hurst expressed his displeasure on the call with the homeplate umpire on his way back to the dugout.

Without warning, Hurst was ejected from the game.

From my vantage point (right behind homeplate) outside the fence, Hurst did not utter any profanity towards the umpire nor did he say the “magic” word.

After speaking with Limestone coach Derek Renz after the game, he mentioned the explanation he received from the home plate umpire was Hurst said “that was a horrible call” and was consideredto be arguing balls and strikes.

The ejection could prove costly for the Rockets as per IHSA rules any player or coach ejected from one game must sit out the next contest.

The next contest for the Rockets come Monday against Mid-Illini foe Metamora at home.

The Rockets enter the final week of the M-I in a tie with Morton at 10-2. Washington finished its conference season last week with a 10-3 mark.

Morton plays against East Peoria for two this week.

Hurst is not usually a starter for the Rockets in conference titlts, but he has five saves on the season.

In 25 innings pitched, he has a sparkling 0.27 ERA.

On the plus side coach, I give coach Renz a pat on the back for not getting himself tossed from the game afterwards. Im sure assistant coach Eddie Mathews would do just fine at the helms, but with a game with so much riding on the line you want you skipper thats been calling the shots all season to be the one calling them in this one as well.